Cost of Living in Hanoi

The cost of living in Hanoi would greatly depend on your lifestyle. There are several options for working expats in the city, and one can definitely live a comfortable life on a budget in this city, but if you want to live the high life, then there are definitely expensive options for luxury in the city as well. 

The heaviest costs for living in Hanoi would be education, housing, and purchasing western goods. The basic costs for utilities and services like the internet, mobile phones, and public transport remain low in Vietnam's capital. The city offers a lot of choices for shopping depending on your preferences. 

"The cost of living in Vietnam is very cheap compared to the U.S. but the standard of living is also a lot less. Living here is easy as there are a lot of international restaurants and imported groceries."- Nathan van der Most, Expat in Hanoi, Vietnam

Housing

Finding a place to rent in Hanoi is easy. It can take a bit of time, but there so many options out there. In terms of cost, a 2-bedroom home in the city would cost around USD$300 monthly. A grand French Villa, for example, that gives a spectacular view of the city’s lakes, will be worth so much more. Homes in Hanoi will not be the cheapest around Asia, but they are affordable enough for expats to enjoy comfortable housing and still have a lot of room in their budget for recreation, health care and other living expenses.

Food and Dining

Vietnamese call their noodles ‘pho’ and it sells for about USD$0.50 cents. Other popular local food will probably be priced around the same. Hanoi has great-tasting bread which, with some coffee, will cost around ten centavos per loaf.

Restaurants abound in the city, and they offer cuisines from nearly every part of the world, from France to Italy to India to America and everywhere else in between. On a street called Hang Bac is a restaurant that sells really big pizzas to go with French fries and beverages for about 10 USD. There’s also a Spanish joint near the cathedral which sells for about 30USD for two. Of course, in more traditional diners, the cost is a lot lower.

Beer and Nightlife

Beers in Hanoi cost around USD$0.20 to 0.40 cents per glass. Popular brands are Beer Toi and Bai Hoi, which are both locally brewed draft beer. Imported brands are a bit more expensive, but still, a Heineken bottle goes well under 1 USD in most places. People in Hanoi love beers, and this is one of the common things they share with expats. Both love the fact that these drinks are affordable.

Transportation

Motorcycle taxis are the most popular way to get around Hanoi. Some expats prefer to buy cars of their own, usually used cars that cost around $USD600. Expats are also quite fond of the Minsk, around USD$200-300, which is a bike designed like those old, old bikes that existed before the war. Minsks are imported from Belarus and can be fun, easy to drive and fix.